A massive blaze destroyed 400 rare and vintage motorbikes and caused up to #8 million damage at the National Motorcycle Museum near Coventry last night.

At least 120 firefighters from throughout the region were called to the blaze, which first reports suggest started in the kitchens at the back of the attraction.

Flames could be seen for up to 15 miles and huge clouds of smoke billowed over traffic jams on the busy A45 and M42.

Firefighters from Coventry?s four stations were at the museum, on the Coventry Road roundabout at its junction with the M42, throughout the night.

More than 700 machines tracing the 100-year history of motorcycling were exhibited in five halls, two of which were cleared by staff, firefighters and passers-by.

But three halls, containing some of the rarest and most valuable machines, were destroyed.

The fire broke out shortly before 5pm as former fireman Mark Townsend was driving past with his eight-year-old son Alex.

Mr Townsend, 42, of Nailcote Avenue, Tile Hill, Coventry, did what he could to help and managed to take photographs of the scene as staff worked to rescue as many motorbikes as they could.

He said: ?There was no panic, a manager seemed to be in charge and was organising the staff to bring out the most important machines first.

?I offered to give them a hand and helped bring out four bikes as my son Alex stood at a safe distance taking more pictures with our camera.

?Amazingly, we only had it with us because I was taking it to the shop to see if we could upgrade it before collecting my wife from work.?

Mr Townsend, who left the fire service 15 years ago and is now the manager of Homebase in Rugby, added: ?In one of the exhibition halls the staff managed to bring out everything except one long landspeed-record-holding machine ? it was just too big to move.?

Alex, who is a pupil at Berkswell Primary School, said: ?I heard them say the fire had started in an oven. There were loads of fire engines and a helicopter and some men on a hydraulic platform above the smoke.?

Assistant divisional officer Dave Glenis said despite 22 pumps and four special units being in attendance 70 per cent of the building was destroyed.

Crews had the fire under control by 8.50pm and spent the night and most of today damping down.

Mr Glenis said: ?This was the National Motorcycle Museum and it is very sad that so many of the rarest machines were lost. The only good news is that some of the bikes have been saved.?

He said despite rumours of the blaze starting in the kitchens, last night fire investigation teams were still keeping an open mind as to the cause.

A museum spokesman said more than 300 bikes had been saved.

He said the museum would remain closed until further notice and added: ?Many irreplaceable machines will have been damaged in the fire, but they will be restored once again to their original showroom condition."